In Broadband Breakfast: Treasury Department’s Rules Put Decision-Making Power in Local Hands
Christopher Mitchell writes about new federal broadband funding rules in Broadband Breakfast. … Read More
Listen: Christopher Mitchell Explains What the Infrastructure Bill Means for Internet Access
Last week, a monumental infrastructure bill passed with $65 billion devoted to broadband investment. This money will build rural connectivity, develop state policies for local broadband, and create a more digitally inclusive economy. … Read More
Building Connections and Capacity in Indian Country at the First Tribal Wireless Bootcamp
Earlier this summer, a small group of people gathered in the southern California desert for the first Tribal Wireless Bootcamp. Organized by a loose collection of people with a long history of building and encouraging nontraditional broadband networks, the focus was on building, maintaining, and troubleshooting wireless networks in Indian Country.… Read More
Report: Minnesota Communities and Local Providers Build Diverse Solutions for Affordable, Reliable Internet Access
Our new report Minnesota Broadband: Land of 10,000 Connectivity Solutions showcases the diverse range of approaches communities and local ISPs have taken to expand affordable, high-quality Internet access in Minnesota. … Read More
Fact Sheet: Snapshots of Municipal Broadband
This new fact sheet highlights municipal broadband success stories from across the country and some of the many benefits the networks have brought to the communities they serve. … Read More
Biden Administration Decides Cities Should Not Use Broadband Dollars for Broadband
The Biden Administration signed the American Rescue Plan Act, which included, among many other things, multiple sources of funds for broadband infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Treasury was tasked with writing the rules of how local governments can spend the various funds. The Interim Rule has been published and it appears to significantly limit local ability to invest in needed networks. … Read More
In Our View: Grid Disaster in Texas Leads to Open Access Soul Searching
The disaster in Texas resulting from an electric grid that was deliberately left exposed and likely to fail in rare cold weather events has received a lot of dramatic coverage, as well it should given the loss of life and damage to so many homes and businesses. It also raised some questions regarding competition and designing markets. … Read More
Report: Wilson, N.C., Shows What’s Possible When a Broadband Network Puts Community First
This case study explores the wide-ranging community benefits of Greenlight, the city-owned broadband network in Wilson, North Carolina. The network has been able to quickly adapt and expand service during the pandemic. … Read More
In the Wall Street Journal: Rural Families Struggle With Work and School With No Home Internet
In the WSJ, ILSR’s Christopher Mitchell also explains the failures of US broadband policy that has kept communities from getting connected.… Read More